pdxtex

klein, bridgestone and lemond. i scour craigslist weekly looking for q-pros, zurichs and rb-1s...

Walter

OK this now (once again) a nostalgia thread. Let's try to keep it that way.

I like the idea of the "old" Litespeed (Lynskey owned) and I would have loved to see SunTour make it and continue to innovate. They came up with the modern design for derailleeurs and their friction shifters were the best. They'd probably have some cool and maybe even reasonably priced stuff nowadays.

Those 2 and "original" Masi, either Italian or Californian.

tony2v

Kirtland panniers.....I still have my set of front and rear bags from 1982 on my 1975 Albert Eisentraut bike.

abstractform20

italian Scattante.

Jed19

Greg Lemond designed-bikes again.

JohnDThompson 

Dick Power:

abstractform20

i would love to see one produced with an Italian partner...Faggin Dick Power

Drag

Valid. Although I never had any problems with my '05 Tuscany. Historically, the problems I've seen seem to have been Ti frames with the stiffer 6/4 tubing. I haven't followed their carbon frames at all. I'm in denial with the whole Litespeed carbon thing.

Along these lines, I'm rather surprised that Lynskey sold the custom manufacturing side as well (i.e. space program stuff). I woulda figured he kept that side of it and just sold the bicycle division, but when I hear of Litespeed in the news they speak of both sides in general still being one company.

But oh well.

kraftwerk 

Frame builders:

Tom Kellogg

Ted Wojick

campylover

Avocet computers.

surgeonstone

Merlin

grolby

We're seeing a bit of a comeback of no-nonsense, nicely-specced aluminum bikes right now that might get at this wish just a little bit. Cannondale held the torch for a long time with the CAAD9/CAAD10. Now there's that, Giant has just come out with the TCR SL, Specialized has the Allez which have very nice framesets these days, Trek even has the aluminum Madone 2 series. Smaller brands are getting in on the action, too; Jamis is coming out with the Icon, aluminum-framed race bikes with the same geometry as their carbon Xenith line. Best of all, it looks like manufacturers have stopped with the multi-material, carbon seat stay crap, which never had any benefit, looked stupid and introduced additional failure points. I think it might be because the novelty of carbon fiber has worn off a bit, and consumers are now savvy enough to know that being carbon doesn't necessarily make it better. So it looks like this is a bona-fide trend across the industry right now, and with any luck it'll be successful and keep spreading.

NathanC

Eddy Merckx bicycles owned by Eddy Merckx and made in the factory in Meise, Belgium.

Paul Y.

The real litespeed....Lynskey Litespeed.

calamarichris

Oh hail yeah!

bigfred 

I can understand nostagial for builders of some repute. But, how does Greg putting his name to the same basic geometry as other bikes add any value?

eric01

Klein.

Innovators in their day and well ahead of their time. Tapered forks, press fit bb's, ahead set style fork/stem interface... all were firsts on klein. fat tubed aluminum was either klein or cannondale depending on who you ask.

And the paint jobs --- they were really something special.

Here's a link for a trip down memory lane

https://diabloscott.blogspot.hk/2000_...t_archive.html

Jed19

Lemond's geometry are slightly different from most. My femur proportions to my total leg length (and total leg length compared to norm for my height) are not usual, thus Greg's bike in size 55cm are always perfect for me. Perfect in every way, and also I found that his frames, for me in that size, are always well-balanced. I don't know why, but I think he understands frame geometry and comfort very well.

bigfred 

I suspect that if you know the seat tube angle as well as front and rear centers, there are other frames out there that you'll find to be every bit as perfect for your proportions.

I just recall Greg as being the anti-marketing "tool" is so many ways. I always wanted to like him, but, never could. As opposed to LA, who I would love to hate, but, just can't help but respect. Go figure(shoulder shrug).

JohnDThompson 

LeMonds weren't "the same basic geometry;" for any given size, they had slacker angles and longer top tubes than most other bikes.

Drag

But why not then just get a Lynskey? What would you be missing?

bigfred 

So, are you saying they were a bit more like traditional grand tour bikes than their contemporary counter parts?

Shimagnolo

+1
In the early 90's I went to a bike shop in Traverse City to buy my first mtn bike, and they had a bunch of Kleins in the showroom. They were absolutely gorgeous!!! I felt like a kid at a Ferrari dealership. But they were way out of my price range. I left with a $400 Specialized.

Drag

That was similar to my experience as well. But I left with a $350 steel Trek MTB.

JoelS

There's really nothing that's gone by the wayside that I'm particularly interested in bringing back. There are a number of current cycling things I'd like to see go away....